Fitted covering having diagonal elastic bands

Abstract

A fitted mattress covering for a mattress includes lower edge portions, which may be inverted J-shaped portions, mirror-image inverted J-shaped portions, portions that terminate at an end, or inverted U-shaped portions. The covering side and end portion lower edges may join one another to form a continuous lower edge of the covering. For the I-shaped portion, an elastic binding may be disposed under a downwards folded portion. The elastic binding may extend at least partially along the length of the lower edge of the covering. An elastic band may be disposed at each corner of the covering and extend diagonally across the associated corner and have opposite ends secured adjacent one of the side portions and adjacent one of the adjacent end portions, respectively. The bands may be secured in place by stitching and/or by supplementary securing means to ensure that the bands do not pull away from the covering.

1. A fitted mattress covering being one of a fitted sheet, fitted mattress pad and other fitted bed clothing for a mattress, said covering comprising, a fabric body having a top portion, side portions and end portions, said side and end portions having lower edge portions defined by fabric from said side or end portions terminating at a lower edge, a cloth binding including an inner inverted J-shaped portion and an outer mirror-image inverted J-shaped or U-shaped portion for ensuring that a visible area of said side portions has virtually no wrinkles to thereby provide a neat and secure fit on the mattress, each of said J-shaped or U-shaped portions being made of a fabric material folded upwards to a first length and folded downwards to a second length, said first length being greater than said second length, said side and end portion lower edges joining one another to form a continuous lower edge of the covering, an elastic binding being disposed under said downwards folded portion of said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion and being thereby partially enclosed by said downwards folded portion to prevent said elastic binding from becoming loose, said elastic binding extending at least partially along the length of said lower edge of the covering, said elastic and cloth bindings being secured to said lower edge portions by stitching, an elastic band disposed at each corner of the covering, each band extending diagonally across the associated corner and having opposite ends secured adjacent one of said side portions and adjacent one of said adjacent end portions such that a portion of said cloth binding is sandwiched between said elastic binding and said elastic band, respectively, said bands being secured in place by at least one of said stitching and by supplementary securing means to ensure that the bands do not pull away from the covering. 
   
   
     2. A fitted mattress covering according to  claim 1 , wherein each end of each of said bands being sandwiched between one of said lower edge portions and said elastic binding and terminating in an end edge which is disposed adjacent said lower edge of the covering, each end of each of said bands being folded over an upper end of said downwards folded portion and downwards against an inner layer of said lower edge portion, said supplementary securing means for each end of each of said bands comprising a secure stitch extending through a folded layer of said band, a layer of said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion, said elastic binding, said layer of said band sandwiched between one of said lower edge portions and said elastic binding, a layer of said lower edge portion, and a layer of said outer J-shaped or U-shaped portion. 
   
   
     3. A fitted mattress covering according to  claim 1 , wherein each end of each of said bands being sandwiched between one of said lower edge portions and said elastic binding and terminating in an end edge which is disposed adjacent said lower edge of the covering, said supplementary securing means for each end of each of said bands comprising a secure stitch extending through a layer of said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion, said elastic binding, said layer of said band sandwiched between one of said lower edge portions and said elastic binding, a layer of said lower edge portion, and a layer of said outer J-shaped or U-shaped portion. 
   
   
     4. A fitted mattress covering according to  claim 1 , wherein each end of each of said bands being disposed adjacent said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion and terminating in an end edge which is disposed generally adjacent said lower edge of the covering, each end of each of said bands being folded over in a generally U-shaped or inverted U-shaped configuration, said supplementary securing means for each end of each of said bands comprising a secure stitch extending through said two folded layers of said band, a layer of said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion, said elastic binding, a layer of said lower edge portion, and a layer of said outer J-shaped or U-shaped portion. 
   
   
     5. A fitted mattress covering according to  claim 1 , wherein each end of each of said bands being disposed adjacent said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion and terminating in an end edge which is disposed adjacent an upper or lower edge of said downwards folded portion, said supplementary securing means for each end of each of said bands comprising a secure stitch extending through a layer of said band, a layer of said inner J-shaped or U-shaped portion, said elastic binding, a layer of said lower edge portion, and a layer of said outer J-shaped or U-shaped portion.